Karva Chauth is celebrated on the fourth day of the dark half in Hindu month Kartik. On this day, married women keep fast to elongate the life of their husband. Those who are unmarried, keep this fast to get a good husband in future. Festival of Karwa Chauth is celebrated with great zeal and gusto in North India.
Karva Chauth Vrat Rules
1. The fast begins before the sunrise and runs till the visibility of Moon. Only after the sighting of Moon, this fast is considered complete and one can have food.
2. In the evening, 1 hour before the Moonrise, the family of Shiva (Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati, Nandi, Ganesh Ji, and Kartikeya Ji) is worshiped.
3. The idols or pictures of the gods should face west direction while worshiping; whereas, the worshiper should sit facing the east.
Karva Chauth Katha: The Legend
As per the legend of Karva Chauth Vrat Katha, a moneylender had 7 sons and 1 daughter named Karva. On the day of this festival, Karva observed fast. At night, when everyone sat for the dinner, brothers of Karva insisted her to eat as well. But, she denied because Moon had still not arisen and she could have food only after giving Arghya (offering water) to the Moon. Her brothers couldn’t see the condition of their starving sister who had not even taken a single drop of water since dawn. The youngest brother planned to trick her by lighting a lamp behind the leaves of a Peepal tree, giving an illusion of the Moon. He convinced his sister that the Moon has risen and now she can have food. She got tricked and had a bite of food. As soon as she took the bite, the news of her husband’s demise came. Inconsolable, she kept the body of her husband till 1 year and kept on collecting the grass growing over the dead. Next year, when Karva Chauth came again on the fourth day of the dark half in the month of Kartik, she kept the fast again following all the rituals properly; and, Karva Chauth story says, her husband came to life.